1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a weep screed, and more particularly, to a member for attachment along the base of a structure to prevent moisture from entering between the structure and a foundation underlying the structure.
2. Prior Art
A weep screed is a device that is attached to the base of an exterior wall of a structure to provide support for an exterior coating such as, for example, stucco, and to provide a barrier to water entering between the exterior wall and the underlying foundation of the structure. In the prior art, the weep screed has a vertical attachment member, an outwardly protruding flange that is attached to a lower edge of the vertical member and angled downwardly. The outwardly protruding member is recurved at the outermost end thereof and bends downwardly and rearwardly toward the concrete foundation. A third member may extend downwardly from the lower end of the recurved member. The vertical member may assist in supporting the exterior coating surface. Water which comes into contact with the exterior coating surface may be absorbed into the surface and possibly also into the building layers underneath the surface. The water can drain downwardly and weep from the structure along the edge of the weep screed. Weep screeds are intended to reduce moisture absorption, particularly in areas where water is permitted to accumulate near the edge of the structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,297 to Rutherford, the teaching of which is incorporated herein by reference thereto, discloses a weep screed for use in exterior construction. The weep screed has a vertical member and an outwardly projecting member, the outermost end of which is recurved downwardly and inwardly to provide sealing means operable for forming a substantially sealing engagement with the vertical outer surface of an underlying concrete foundation. The inwardly projecting member has a plurality of grooves or notches running along the length of the weep screed to provide tear strips. The tear strips permit adjustability of the length of the inwardly projecting member by allowing it to be torn off, or to permit bending of the inwardly projecting member for a form fit with the foundation where a flush fit occurs at a point in between tear strips. By eliminating the gap present in the prior art, the present invention diminishes or eliminates any swelling of the shear panel which causes cracking of the exterior surface.
Notwithstanding the advantages of the prior art weep screeds, for architectural reasons, it may be desirable to place a coating on the foundation or other vertical surface below the screed. Prior art screeds permit collected water to drain downwardly through slots in the recurved member thereby compromising the integrity of a layer of coating disposed below the screed. There remains a need for a weep screed that enables a layer of coating material to be disposed below and abutting the weep screed without compromising the structural integrity of the coating material due to water seepage.
It is a first object of the invention to provide a weep screed that enables a layer of building material to disposed below and in contact with the screed without compromising the structural integrity of such a layer of such building material.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a weep screed meeting the above objective and wherein the weep screed provides a streamlined gap between layers of building material disposed above and below the weep screed.
The present invention provides for an improved weep screed having advantages over the weep screeds set forth in the prior art. The streamlined weep screed provides a means for performing the function provided by current weep screeds, and additionally enables a building material to be placed below, and in contact with, the weep screed, leaving a streamlined gap therebetween that is aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
In accordance with the present invention, a weep screed has a flat vertical member that is adapted to attached to a wall construction material, such as plywood sheathing, tar paper overlying the sheathing or the like, to form a sealing engagement with the wall construction material using fasteners, adhesive or both. An upper flange having perforations therein, depends downwardly and outwardly from a lower portion of the vertical member. The upper flange directs the flow of water in contact with the upper surface thereof, such as moisture accumulated in stucco siding, outwardly (i.e., away from the wall) and downwardly to drip onto a lower flange. The lower flange, which is impermeable to water, also depends outwardly and downwardly from the vertical member and directs the flow of water outwardly to the outermost extent thereof, thereafter to drip to the ground under the force of gravity. The weep screed may be made from a sheet metal such as aluminum, or a flexible elastomer. The weep screed can be made by extrusion, molding or assembled by welding one or both of the flanges to the vertical member.
The features of the invention believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. However the invention itself, both as to organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof may be best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: